What are some benefits offered by The Work Number?

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The Work Number is an employment verification database that is used by commercial verifiers, employees and employers and has been widely recognized for its cost-saving strategies, the impartiality and objective nature of its records, the access control that it provides and the human resources burden that it is able to shoulder for many large companies. Employees are able to provide loan or government assistance verifiers with secure access to personal information, and employers are relieved of many human resources costs.

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Companies that use The Work Number are outsourcing the maintenance of updated employee records and employee verification request responses to a private company. The most obvious benefit that is conferred is a shift in the cost burden of record upkeep from the employer to the requester of verification. Verifiers that request information from The Work Number must pay a small fee to gain access to the desired information, which transfers this financial responsibility away from human resources departments. Employees also benefit from having easy access to W-2 tax forms, various employment data reports and salary keys.

Talx Corporation founded The Work Number information database in 1995, but ownership shifted to Equifax, Inc., in February 2007. The Work Number has several high-profile clients, including public-private mortgage lender Fannie Mae, the United States Postal Service and worldwide hotel chain Hilton Hotels.